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Whether your goal is a wide V-shape or a cover model chest, these moves are the simplest and most efficient for building the upper body you really want.

1. Overhand Pull-Up

You don’t need complex moves to get big results. The pull-up is the daddy for building you upper body. It works your lats, abs, delts, traps and forearms. It also stimulates growth hormone to maximise your gains. Perform using a wide, overhand grip.

2. Single-Arm Kettlebell Snatch

Performing a compound move at speed with high resistance will hit large numbers of muscle fibres, so burn calories while building bulk. The Single-Arm Kettlebell Snatch is the perfect example of this. The benefit of the single-arm version comes from the asymmetric demands it puts on your body, requiring all your core stabilising muscles to fire. Bring the kettlebell to your shoulder, flip it back and press it up. Perform as quickly as possible while maintaining good form.

3. Lean-Away Lateral Raise

The body position that’s created by leaning away in this exercise allows for a greater range of motion through the shoulder. This results in enhanced development of the deltoid muscle. Simply hold onto a machine or door frame lean out as far as possible, lifting your inside leg of the ground, and raise a dumbbell with your free hand. The motion should be smooth, controlled and slow. Pause at the top, lower and repeat. Just don’t let go.

4. Cable Lateral Raise

This Schwarzenegger-approved move works your shoulders and lats simultaneously, encouraging a faster rate of muscle growth. Hold a cable set at its lowest position and smoothly draw it up and across your body. Keep tension in your abs to control the motion. Now return slowly, maintaining tension on the cable.

5. Dumbbell Prone Row

This is the move that most fully engages your traps, shoulders and all the muscles that attached to your shoulder blades. By lying face down on a bench, your torso remains still, this removes your ability to cheat as you tire. Hold the dumbbells vertically and row them up to your chest. Return and repeat.

6. Bent-Over Dumbbell Row

Bend at the hips and row the dumbbells to your lower torso. The instability of using dumbbells forces you to use more of your abs and lower back muscles to control the motion.

7. Bent-Over Barbell Row

The Bent-Over Row is second only to the pull-Up for back building. It will give you thick lats and improve your grip, biceps and lower back strength. A barbell allows you to lift maximum weight.

8. Canoe Row

With straight arms, pull the bar down and to one side as if padding in a canoe. It’s similar to the Straight-Arm Pull Down (Number 9 below), but it uses more fast-twitching fibres, for explosive strength.

9. Straight-Arm Pull Down

The pull-down is an essential move if you’re working towards that coveted V-shape. Isolating the lats, it works a huge number of fibres in the teres major – which makes up the bulk of your back. Pull down the cable fast, and return slowly.

10. Push Press

11. Dumbbell Ahrens Press

By pressing up and out you create more tension on the deltoid’s lateral head (running across the front of your shoulder). This leads to faster muscle growth and works more fibres than a conventional shoulder press.

12. Dumbbell Cuban Press

This hits the delts and works the rotator cuffs in your shoulder to build support muscles, joint stability, size and strength. Row the dumbbells to your chest, then rotate at the shoulders to bring them beside your head. Now press.

13. Seated Barbell Military Press

Taking your legs out of the equation lets you concentrate fully on your back and shoulders. Plus, parking your backside on a bench enables a more explosive movement of the barbell when you press upwards.

14. Barbell Squat And Press

Similar to the Push Press (Number 10 above), squatting allows for extra force and speed, increasing the response from your nervous system and boosting muscle growth. Dip into a squat, then explode upwards and straight into a press.

15. Bench Press

Mastering the basic bench Press technique is your key to unlocking the most effective chest moves. Lie with your back on a bench and with a shoulder-width grip lift the bar until your arms lock out. Now lower and explode it back up to fire your fast-twitch fibres.

16. Incline Barbell Bench Press

This is a common variation of the Bench Press (Number 15 above). You’ll target the often neglected upper portion of your pecs and your upper deltoids are put under stress, too. Set the bench to an incline and press the barbell vertically, then lower and repeat.

17. Barbell Bench Press With Chains

By simply adding chains or resistance bands, you can multiply your body’s neural activity which stimulates your muscles to develop faster. The load is lighter at the bottom position and heavier at the top so accelerate as you push up.

18. Dumbbell Bench Press

Using a dumbbell instead of a barbell offers the opportunity to hit different parts of your pecs, essential if you want to develop balanced muscle definition. Hold the dumbbells beside your chest, then fire them upwards. Lower and repeat.

19. Standard Press-Up

This simple, gym free exercise is ruthlessly effective – it not only works your arms and shoulders, but also your core. This is one move that gives back exactly what you put in, so press hard and fast and your chest will reward you in kind.

20. Weighted Press-Up

By adding weight on your back you speed up muscle hypertrophy (increase in the size of muscle cells). Ask a partner to add the plate once you’re in position. If you’re training on your own, increase the difficulty by exploding upwards and clapping, instead.

21. Elevated-Feet Declined Press-Up

Put your feet up a sofa or box to increase the proportion of your own bodyweight that you have to lift – this will work your muscles harder. As the angle increases, so does the load, while the focus will also switch to your upper chest and shoulders.

22. Judo Press-Up

This variation works your back and lower pecs. Raise your hips so your body almost forms an upside-down V. Lower your front until your chin nears the floor. Then lower your hips as you raise your head and shoulders towards the ceiling. Reverse the move.

23. Dumbbell Pec Fly

The Dumbbell Fly uses different muscle contractions to pressing movements. The effect is to isolate the pecs, which is great if you want to achieve strong central definition. Ensure you fly as wide as possible, with the weights in line with your ears, to create optimum contraction. Just watch your balance.

24. Kettlebell Squeeze Press

Lie on a bench with a kettlebell resting on your chest, palms facing each other. Squeeze the weight as hard as possible and press the kettlebell up. Now lower it slowly. This press will create a powerful isometric contraction (ie. when the muscles tense without shortening), which stimulates growth hormone and that means BIG muscle gains.

Dedicated to your success,

–Nigel

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Have you tried any of these moves? Tell us which ones have given you the best results—let’s get 15 COMMENTS, and we’ll be back soon with another awesome post.

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Ever Wanted Big Guns?

Now You Can With These Cool Moves!

Yes, It’s True, Isn’t It?

Adding mass to your biceps, triceps and forearms has never been easier. Complete these simple moves with perfect form and you’ll see quick results FAST.

1. The Chin-Up

Although best known as a back exercise, the chin-up is just as much about your biceps. Pull up, hold at the top to create static tension in your muscles, then lower. This is a genuine test of strength and power.

2. TRX Scull Crusher

Don’t let the name put you off – this simpler version of the classic skull crusher (you know the one – where you’re lying on a bench holding a heavy weight right above your face) is safer and easier. Plus, using your bodyweight will put even more emphasis on your triceps. Hold the stirrups at head height and lean forwards. Keep your body straight, lock you upper arms and push the stirrups away from your head.

3. Overhead Extension

This standard move burns for good reasons due to the way it isolates your triceps and creates maximum load at the lowest part of the movement. Hold a dumbbell with both hands directly above your head. Bend at the elbows to lower the weight behind your head, then straighten your arms once more. Focus on lowering the slowly because it will feel heavier the lower you go.

4. Lying Overhead Extension

Consider this move a stepping stone to the more challenging French Press (see exercise 25). Lie on a flat bench and hold a dumbbell with both hands above your chest. Rotate at the shoulders, moving your arms behind you so your upper arms finish the move beside your head. Pull back up again.

5. Assisted Pull-Up

The pull-up is about as simple as moves come, but can be a tough one to perform if your back needs strengthening. For an easy boost, place a box beneath your feet of use your gym’s pull-up assist machine. Give yourself enough assistance to get you chin above the bar, but no more.

6. Close-Grip Press

This grip style allows for a greater load to be placed on your triceps, which in turn will speed up your rate of muscle building. Holding the bar with hands less than shoulder width apart.

7. Press Lock-Out

Because you perform only the final stage of the press, you are able to shift 20-30% more than your regular 1RM, leading to more muscle growth.

8. Floor Press

The limited range of movement focuses more of the work on your triceps. Lie flat on the floor and press the bar up until your arms are straight. Repeat.

9. Yates’ Bent Row

This is the ultimate bicep-builder. Named after colossal bodybuilder Dorian Yates, it mixes a drag-style row with isometric contractions to hit every muscle fibre harder. Pause as the bar reaches the crook in your hips, and lower.

10. Barbell Curl

Gravity’s not always helpful. During a curl, the pull of gravity means that in the lowering phase there is little tension in the muscles, making it easier. But by changing body position throughout the movement you can maintain tension in the muscles. Start by leaning back. As you curl the bar, lean forwards, then as you lower, lean back.

11. Reverse Drag Curl

This adaptation creates far more tension than the tradition barbell curl, and that tension tension remains throughout the move. The aim is to drag the bar up your thighs and along your body, so that it brushes past your torso, then curl it up to eye level. Lower back down slowly.

12. Seated Dumbbell Curl

It’s likely that this is one of the first exercises you ever tried. It’s simple, yet an effective muscle builder. Sitting on the edge of a bench, grasp two dumbbells with an underhand grip and curl them up to shoulder height. Alternate arms or perform simultaneously.

13. Seated Dumbbell Half Curl (Lower)

This variation on the regular seated curl uses your legs as a brace to specifically target the bicep. Simply lower the weight until it’s near your feet, then curl it back up to hip height with a controlled motion. Keep your upper arm close to your body.

14. Seated Dumbbell Half Curl (Upper)

This movement hits the second phase of the bicep contraction. Perform as with the lower half curl (exercise 12 above), but this time start at hip height and curl up to shoulder level. Pause at the top, then lower the weight back down slowly.

15. Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curl

The hammer curl is an ideal variation if you want to add extra inches to your arms. Twist your wrist so that you palms are facing in towards your body. Start with your arms by your thighs, then raise both dumbbells until your forearms are above horizontal.

16. Parallel Bar Dip

A bodyweight move that hits your, chest, shoulders and triceps hard, building strength and size. Start with your arms locked out at the top to stabilise you, then lower your body until there is a 90-degree bend at your elbows and push back up to the starting position. For big muscular gains, try lowering slowly and rising back up explosively.

17. Leaning Bar Dip

Perform as with the Parallel Bar Dip (above), but this time pull your legs further back and lean your body forwards. This engages more muscle fibres in your deltoids and pecs giving you a more complete upper-body workout. To increase the difficulty further, add resistance by attaching weights to a dip belt, or hold a dumbbell between your feet.

18. The Deadlift

This hero move creates massive tension in your biceps and forearms, as well as building your lats and legs. Bend down and hold the bar with hands just wider than shoulder width. Keep your back straight and drive up to a standing position.

19. Medicine Ball Throw

Throwing an object requires your upper body to generate maximum force at speed – and that means you become powerful. This creates huge neural response, stimulating fast muscle growth. It doesn’t get simpler than this: hold a medicine ball behind your head, and then throw it forwards as hard as you can. Try not to take out any of your fellow gym-goers as your triceps gain power and strength.

20. Diamond Press-Up

Forming a diamond shape with your hands on the floor changes the mechanics of the move and forces your triceps to take most of the burden of the press-up. Keep your elbows tusked in throughout the movement to accentuate the load on your arm’s largest muscle group. Employ normal press-up form through the rest of your body by maintaining a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles. Sink down until your chest is as close as possible to your hands, then press back up.

21. Military Press

A traditional no-frills move that builds your shoulders and triceps while engaging your core for stability. Hold the barbell with an overhand grip and rest it across the top of your chest. Now explode upwards with your arms until they are extended overhead. Contract your muscles at the top of the movement to increase tension. Lower with a steady, controlled motion.

22. Tricep Pull-Down

If you want to feel instant effects (eg. pain) from a tricep move, this is one to choose. Stand in front of a cable station and hold the handle at shoulder height, elbows close to your sides. Now push your forearms down to your hips, pause and return to the start position. That burning sensation in the back of your arms is the prelude to growth, honest.

23. Barbell Squeeze Curl

Gripping the bar hard as you can curl it up will create high levels of muscle tension throughout the move. This action also recruits more neighbouring fibres, promoting growth.

24. Prone Curl

Lying on an inclined bench and curling with dumbbells changes the angle of the upper arm and removes any rocking motion from your upper body, for improved efficiency.

25. Dumbbell Squeeze Curl

Hold two dumbbells and push them together as hard as you can. Maintain the pressure and curl up and down. This creates tension in two directions, working your biceps even harder.

26. French Press

This exercise has the highest EMG score (measuring the electrical activity from muscles) of any tricep movement – it’s the best. Set an incline bench to 45-degrees. Hold the bar above your chest, then lower it back behind your head.

Now what?

You’re now armed with 25 really powerful arm moves that will help you build muscle mass like nothing you’ve seen before.

If you incorporate some of these into your workout routine you truly are going to get big results FAST.

Dedicated to your success,

–Nigel

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Tell us about your arm workout routine and how much muscle you’ve added to your arms—let’s get 20 COMMENTS, and we’ll be back soon with another awesome post.

Video: 26 Exercises For Creating Big Arms And Being The Envy Of Other People

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Today, most people attempting to build muscle know that good nutrition is vital. Regrettably, their diets are completely wrong! Weight lifters typically concentrate on their calories and macronutrients, consuming any foods they can to reach accidental totals. These numbers make a difference certainly, however the exact foods you’re consuming are unquestionably much more significant. The “amount of calories in vs the amount of calories out” tactic is complete fluff, so is the concept that all kinds of carbohydrates, proteins and fat can create the same result.

Would you like to begin experiencing a bit of progress?

Would you like to get as much muscle growth as you can, improve your overall health, and prevent gaining any unwanted fat?

Good, but you have to consume certain foods.

You’re about to discover the 7 best foods for building muscle. These aren’t just any old food, they help you build lean muscle and have produced great results for me and a lot of other people.

So, what are they?

1. Salmon

Although it’s not cheap, you need to have salmon at the bare minimum one or two times a week. The protein is really good, but the real secret is in the fat. Salmon is packed with Omega-3 essential fatty acids, which can be proven to help you lose fat and build muscle. Ensure you’re buying wild-caught salmon, because it’s far high in Omega-3s than farm-raised salmon. You should be able to find wild-caught salmon at a reasonable cost, if not have a look in the freezer area or alternatively you should be able to find canned salmon.

2. Eggs

If you’re on a really low budget you ought to be feeding on eggs. Each egg contains approximately 6 grams of protein and 5 grams of fat and its nutrients are darn close to perfect for taking in the calories and building muscle mass.

The yolk is the most important part of the egg, where the majority of fat, protein and essential vitamins are stored. Research has shown time and time again that eating dietary cholesterol is definitely not what raises your Low Density Lipoprotein (bad blood cholesterol). All in all, there is absolutely no reason to punish yourself with plate after plate of the foul whites.

3. Beef

This has got to be my favourite of the muscle building foods on this list, as it tastes the best because it’s higher in saturated fats than all the others. Beef is going to pack a lot of protein, iron and zinc, that will assist you to build muscle and get stronger. Plus it also contains a great deal of creatine, the exact same product that you can buy in the supplement stores.

Now, don’t worry that I said the word FAT. Fat is very important for healthy hormone levels. If you eat a lot of saturated animal fat it will boost your testosterone in a natural way. It’s the polyunsaturated fats and trans fats that you have to stay away from contained in pre-packed junk food.

4. Potatoes

No-carb diets are perfect for fat loss, but if you intend to get significantly bigger muscles, you’ll almost certainly have to consume some kind of starchy foods. Your best option is to eat potatoes and sweet potatoes. I tend to follow a “paleo” diet, and believe there’s certainly something to be said for steering clear of grains. Rice and oatmeal might be a good option, however they have a tendency to result in some bloating and discomfort. If you’re in any way sensitive to gluten, and if you often gain fat easily, consider choosing potatoes as your starting place for carbohydrates.

5. Broccoli

Okay, I know that broccoli doesn’t contain any protein in it, but it’s undoubtedly one of the very best muscle building foods because it’s anti-estrogen. It contains “indoles”, which naturally fights against estrogen that makes you store body fat in all of the worst places. It’s also one of my favourite vegetables, too.

6. Nuts

I believe nuts are great if you want to gain weight. Ever eaten an entire can of nuts during an afternoon? Of course, it’s really easy! Nuts might not be as good as meat and eggs, but they’re a cheap alternative option to load up with plenty of good quality calories. They are also perfect if you have a busy job or schedule as you can easily carry them around with you.

Almonds are an amazing food to help you build muscle and they truly are the king of the nuts. They also have a high amount of the vitamin E which is an amazing antioxidant that will prevent damage from those free-radicals that will cause havoc on your body.

7. Fat-Free Yogurt

Fat-free yogurt is also one of the best muscle building foods. With an excellent mix of protein and carbohydrates, it’s great while you’re recovering after an intense workout. Opt for the fat-free yogurt with fruit in the bottom of the tub and forget the artificially sweetened “no sugar” rubbish.

If you’re not a big fan of yogurt you could try fat-free cottage cheese. Cottage cheese is one of those foods that I’m not keen on even if it contains a lot of protein. The protein it has is really a combination of whey and casein and one cup full could have as much as 30 grams of protein in it.

Dedicated to your success,

–Nigel

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Share some of your stories with us about your results using muscle building foods—let’s get 25 COMMENTS, and we’ll be back soon with another awesome post.

1. Cross Jump

Promote growth and power development with this dynamic move. Drop into a lunge and just as the knee of your back leg kisses the floor, jump up, switching legs in mid-air. Then drop into another lunge on landing, and repeat. This fires your fast-twitch muscles.

2. Romanian Deadlift

Prepare to improve strength and increase muscle mass in your legs, back and abdominals. Lean forwards from the hips until you start to feel a stretch in your hamstrings, then grab the barbell. Squeeze your glutes and push your hips forwards to reverse the movement. Keep your legs straight and brush the bar against them as you extend. This takes the focus off the quads, hitting the glutes and hamstrings harder.

3. Single-Leg Deadlift

The one-sided version of the classic Romanian deadlift is an easy way to address your body’s strength imbalances, especially in your hamstrings. Stand with your legs shoulder width apart and slightly bent, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Lift one foot of the floor. Bending at the hips, lower your torso, lifting the raised leg behind you. Return to the starting position.

4. Cable Pull Through

This exercise challenges your glutes in a different way to regular leg moves, stimulating growth in hard-to-hit fibres. Face away from the cable machine set on the lowest position and bend down to hold the handle between your legs. Keeping good form to protect your back, stand up straight, squeeze your glutes and push your hips forwards. Pause, then repeat.

5. Lateral Lunge

The muscles in your inner thigh can be difficult to target, but doing so will vastly improve your speed and agility. The lateral lunge is a quick way to increase their power. Stand with your feet close together and take a big step to one side, bending your other knee to lower your body, keeping that knee in line with your foot. Rise back up and repeat on the other side.

6. Dumbbell Squat

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor, then drive back up to standing. Repeat.

7. Dumbbell Lateral Squat

Target your abductors and glutes with this move. Stand with a weight in each hand and take a big side step to your right, lower your body. Rise back up and repeat, alternating sides.

8. Standing Calf Raise

This move targets the calves without overloading your knees. Grab a heavy dumbbell in each hand and rise up to stand on your tip-toes. Hold for a moment, then slowly lower back down.

9. The Squat

The squat recruits over 70% of your muscle mass, placing heavy demands on your glutes, quads, and abs, making it a hugely effective calorie burner. With a bar across your shoulders, bend at the knees. Drive back up to standing.

10. Hack Squat

This variation is great for focusing on the quads. Stand in front of a bar with your feet roughly shoulder width apart. Squat down and , using an overhead grip, pick it up. Perform a squat as usual, keeping your chest presented.

11. Front Squat

It’s easier to maintain good posture using this version of the squat, plus it makes big demands on your core in order for you to retain balance. Perform a regular squat, but with the bar across the front of your shoulders.

12. Zercher Squat

This really hits your front core muscles and is far more forgiving on your lower back, which is easy to injure when squatting. Hold a bar in the crook of your elbows. With your feet shoulder width apart, squat and rise back up.

13. Bulgarian Split Squat

Place your left foot behind you and rest it on a bench or box. Drop into a low lunge on your right foot, reverse, then swap sides. This is great for building stability and removes the stress from injury-susceptible hamstrings.

14. Seated Leg Extension

This move is great for isolating the quads. Sit on a leg extension machine with shins under the pads. With your back against the seat, extend your knees to straighten your legs and raise the bar. Pause then slowly return to the start.

15. Lying Leg Curl

The leg curl targets your hamstrings, an essential muscle to keep in shape if you want to starve off injury on the pitch. With the ankle pads resting on your lower caves, bend your legs and pull your heels to your glutes. Release to the starting position.

16. Seated Calf Raise

Calves are not notoriously hard to develop, but this machine allows you to isolate them better than other exercises. Sit in a calf raise machine. Press up with your knees and release the support bar. Now lower, then raise your heels as high as you can.

17. Seated Leg Press

This is a viable alternative to the squat and doesn’t require you to balance during heavy lifts. Sit in a leg press machine, with you back flat against the back pad and your feet on the platform. Then press the weight up. Go heavy and slow.

18. Stability Ball Leg Curl

The constant tension in your hamstrings created by this move also uses your glutes, resulting in an all-round strength move. Lie with your head, shoulders and upper body on the floor with your feet together on a stability ball. Your body should form a straight line from should to heels. Keeping your back straight, raise your hips and uses your legs and feet to pull the ball towards you. Return to the start and repeat.

19. Walking Dumbbell Lunge

When performed at speed, the required acceleration coupled with the dumbbell’s resistance recruits the bulk of your legs’ muscle fibres, speeding up development. Hold two dumbbells by your side and take a giant stride forwards, dropping into a lunge. Push up and bring your other leg through into another step, and repeat. This one is good for your abs, too.

20. Jump Squat

This explosion move has a massive impact on strength, not least because it triggers a big testosterone boost to help build muscle. Squat with your feet shoulder width apart then jump as high a you can. Fall back into a squat, then repeat.

21. Depth Jump

Set up a stack of boxes and stand on top of them. Jump off, landing with both feet, and immediately drop into a squat. Jump as high as you can. Land, turn around and step up onto the boxes and repeat.

22. Deadlift And Box Jump

Deadlift a bar from the floor to hip level, drop the weight, then perform explosive box jumps until failure. This combination of resistance and explosive repetition promotes fast muscle growth.

23. Lunge And Glute Bridge

This combination gives your glutes and quads a savaging. Step into a lunge, then repeat on the other side. Now lie on your back and raise your hips. Lift one leg and hold the position, then repeat on the other leg.

24. Step-Up And Climber

Use this after a muscle building workout for a growth hormone flood. With dumbbells, step onto a bench and drive each knee up. Then drop into a press up position and quickly bring alternate knees to your chest for 30 seconds.

25. Crossover Dumbbell Step Up

The explosive movements involved in this exercise create a large metabolic response, shredding fat as you build muscle. Place your left foot on a bench and drive up until your left leg is straight but your right foot is off the bench. Small steps mean big results.

Now what?

You’re now armed with 25 really powerful leg exercises that will help you build muscle, burn fat, increase your speed and agility and have you bouncing around like a teenager.

If you incorporate some of these into your workout routine you truly are going to get great results FAST.

Dedicated to your success,

–Nigel

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Tell us if you do any of these exercises as part of your workout routine and more importantly and about the results you’ve achieved—let’s get 10 COMMENTS, and we’ll be back soon with another awesome post.

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Many people have had difficulty losing weight, nothing is more frustrating to get your motivation up, find the perfect diet and exercise program for you and then… nothing. Some people actually do have a metabolic issue that makes it virtually impossible to lose weight, but not many. For most of us the harsh reality is that we’re just not being as good as we think we are. The cool thing is that there are a few simple things you can do that will help keep you ‘honest’ in your weight loss journey.

For one thing, it’s amazingly easy to ‘lie’ to ourselves about what we’ve eaten in any given day. There have been times when I would have sworn I was good, until a friend (I use that term loosely!) will remind me of that pastry I had at lunch or all the cream and sugar I put in my coffee. Ooops. I didn’t mean to lie to myself, it just happened. Most of us are like that to one degree or another.

To keep yourself on track one very simple but effective thing you can do is to keep a food journal. For a week or two, write down every single thing that you eat or drink. You have to be honest and you have to include everything even that second glass of soda at lunch and the two pats of margarine you put on your toast… everything.

If you do that for few weeks, you’ll quickly be able to spot the times of the day and the areas in your diet where you might have a bit of trouble. Once you pinpoint the reasons you have difficulty losing weight you can make changes that will help you achieve your goals much more quickly.

The same principle can apply to when you work out. Again, it’s easy to think that you’re working harder than you really think. If you keep a workout journal it’s harder to convince yourself that you’ve done something you really haven’t done. Not only can you track the number of times you go to the gym but you can also track how long you spent on the treadmill (or doing cardio in general), how many exercises you did for your upper body, how many you did for your lower body, etc.

You can also keep track of how much weight you lifted for each exercise. Ideally, you should be increasing your weights over a period of time. It’s important to keep your body challenged and not let it get into a rut. By changing up the weights you lift as well as the exercises you do, you’ll keep your body ‘guessing’ which will help you get better results in less time.

Most of the major muscle groups (chest, upper back, lower back, abs, butt, quadriceps, hamstrings) will have more than one exercise you can do. By mixing up the exercises you do for each group you are keeping your toning efforts in high gear. Another benefit is that the different exercises will target each muscle group in a slightly different way which can also lessen a lot of the repetitive types of injuries to your body.

I don’t mean to be the bearer of bad news, but usually when someone has difficulty losing weight it’s really more about the way they’re doing things than about any metabolic issue with their body.

If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment and we’ll get back to you. Thanks for reading.

–Nigel

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Okay, now we’ve heard everything! There was the cabbage soup diet, the chocolate chip cookie diet, the cottage cheese diet, and now there’s a peanut butter diet? After all, how can you eat something that has so much fat? While it seems that there would be no logical way to lose weight while eating peanut butter, this is a diet that may just work.

So, what makes this amazing peanut butter diet work? That’s a fair question, I was skeptical too. What it comes down to is this, different foods have different effects on the body. Some of the better foods are known as “super foods”. Peanut butter is one of them. It is loaded with protein which helps in the development of lean muscle tissue, and muscle burns more calories. In effect, peanut butter assists in the boosting of your body’s metabolism.

The whole idea behind a peanut butter diet is that you simply add this super food where you can and it will work its magic. For example, if you enjoy smoothies, then you can combine some peanut butter with strawberries, blueberries and blackberries, then add some ice and blend until smooth. That doesn’t mean you can drink peanut butter smoothies all day, but if you use it right, you should notice the benefits.

At the same time, there is more to losing weight than just eating. You also have to eat a better selection of foods, from a variety of food groups. Exercise also needs to be a part of your routine. Don’t get discouraged. That doesn’t mean you have to do gruelling exercises for hours on end, far from it. Simply get more active. Participate in activities you enjoy, work out with a friend, and get moving. That’s really all you need to do, but you do need to actually do it. Okay, enough of the lecture, let’s get back to the peanut butter.

One of the reasons a lot of people are surprised that a peanut butter diet can work is that they associate it with gaining weight, rather than losing weight. Part of the reason for this is how most peanut butter is made. Most of the stuff you can buy at the grocery store is made with hydrogenated oil, commonly referred to as trans fats. This may be the real problem with peanut butter, but it’s an easy problem to fix. You want to look for all natural peanut butter that contains no trans fats. Read the list of ingredients, and if the word ‘hydrogenated’ is there, then don’t buy it. You can also look at the peanut butter in the container. If you can see a thin layer of oil on the top, then it is probably natural. Simply stir the oil back in when you get it home. These natural oils are much healthier for you than trans fats.

So, does the peanut butter diet work? Yes it does, but it does require that you do some things as well. They aren’t difficult, and once you start seeing the positive results of losing weight, you’ll be glad you gave it a try.

If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment and we’ll get back to you. Thanks for reading.

–Nigel

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You are curious about quick weight loss centers and if they can help you like they say they can. Well, yes they can but do not be fooled, the ‘quick’ may not be as quick as you think. Healthy weight loss takes time. If you do it too quickly you could get sick and lose muscle tone instead of fat.

There are many weight loss centers that are popular today and despite what you may think some of them actually can be good for you. We all know that having a lot of excess body fat is bad for your health. It can lead to cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, just to name a few. Losing weight and getting in better physical shape just makes sense.

If you want to jump start things before starting with one of the quick weight loss center and if they can help you, you could consider cleansing, this is when you go on a mostly, or all, liquid diet for up to a week before starting your diet. During the entire time you will flush out all of the toxins that are keeping your body from functioning to its full potential. There are many cleansing programs around today. Find one you like and get to it.

This is an example of great rapid weight loss diets that will not only jump start your weight loss efforts it will also help you clear out the toxins in your system. Most people who have taken a cleansing program have been able to lose up to ten pounds in a week. Granted it is mostly water weight but the greater benefit is the toxins that are removed from your body.

Now, the cleanse is done so you can start up with the weight loss center and keep on losing weight. The centers will not only provide some of the food you will be eating, they will show you how to change the way you think about your relationship with food. I know you have seen the celebrities who have lost weight on TV taking about how they had wonderful mentors and coaches to help them through to their weight loss goals.

If you join one of these weight loss centers, you will have the same opportunities as these celebrities have had. You will get your own mentor or coach to see you through to your weight loss goal.

Most of these weight loss centers today actually deliver your food right to your front door. They have made losing weight so convenient it is almost impossible to not find one that will work for you.

The most important aspect about any of the quick weight loss centers and if they can help you is the fact that they show you how to maintain the weight you have lost after you lose it so you can stay thin and healthy at your goal weight for the rest of your life.

If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment and we’ll get back to you. Thanks for reading.

–Nigel

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Are you fed up with continuously seeing no measurable or long-lasting results whenever you try to lose weight? Or maybe you are sick and tired of throwing your money away on the latest fad diets, only to be let down again. Stop! That’s right, stop whatever you’re doing, you are going to want to hear this. Don’t even think about trying another diet plan or weight loss program until you read this article. Why? Because these four tips will put you on the fast track to lose weight safely and keep it off.

Each of the tips is based on science. That means they have always been around and are not fads. It’s just that a lot of people selling the latest weight loss programs don’t always like to share them, so it’s not your fault if you haven’t been able to effectively lose weight.

1. The Magic of Muscle – In short, the more lean muscle you have as you are trying to lose weight, the better. The amount of calories you are able to burn off is related, in part, to how much muscle mass you have. On top of that, more muscle allows you to exercise more effectively, and have more endurance. The fact that muscle is more attractive than fat doesn’t hurt either.

One of the best ways to build muscle mass is through strength training. You can still engage in aerobic exercise, and should, but nothing beats lifting weights and resistance training to add muscle to your body. This is important because muscle also requires more calories to stay fed, which is good, and brings us to the next point…

2. Stoke the Furnace – What we are talking about here is metabolism; that is the rate at which your body burns calories. As we have already seen, muscle tissue is excellent for burning calories and boosting your metabolism. However, there is something else you can do to keep your metabolism whirring along.

Eating smaller meals throughout the day, as opposed to three larger meals, will keep your body working at burning calories. It also has the added benefit of keeping your hunger from getting out of control.

3. Fast Feet – We’ll keep this tip short and sweet. A great way to lose weight is to take brisk walks on a regular basis. It’s not only easy enough to do, but it will also help you to lose weight safely and keep it off.

4. Cut Calories – This may be the biggest “secret” that fad diets try to conceal, but it gets right to the heart of the matter. The only way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you take in. So far we have looked at burning calories, but now it’s time to switch to reducing how many you take in. The good news is that you don’t have to religiously count every calorie that goes into your mouth. All you have to do is make better food choices, and make a conscious effort to eat reasonable portions.

If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment and we’ll get back to you. Thanks for reading.

–Nigel

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To be able to lose weight and build muscle you need to be on a low fat, high protein diet and work out with weights on a regular basis. Low fat to help lose the excess body fat and high protein to help build the lean muscle mass, and the weights to tone, tighten, and strengthen.

If you are just starting out you will need to assess your current diet and make some changes. You can cut out most of the fat in your diet but remember, your body has to have some fats to work properly so you can’t cut them out completely. The fats to steer clear of are saturated fats, hydrogenated oils, and trans fats.

Some food choices that are good sources of fats that you should have are salmon, avocados, and olive oil. Just remember to eat these types of fats in moderation as well.

Proteins you should eat to lose weight and build muscle should be lean protein like boneless, skinless chicken breasts or turkey breasts, any kind of fish, and pork and red meat in moderation. You may choose to take a protein supplement as well if you are really interested in bulking up. Do not take any supplements or anything like that without talking to your doctor first.

Working with weights is a very important part of the equation. Even if you just followed the diet tips listed above, you might lose the excess body fat but your body still needs resistance training to help build your muscles. Now if you’re a woman I don’t want you to panic, when I say build your muscles I’m not talking about becoming the Hulk, rather just getting some nice, and feminine, muscle tone.

The truth of the matter is that women simply can’t get really big, they just don’t have enough testosterone to get really big. If you’re thinking to yourself that I’m wrong because you’ve seen the female weight lifters you must understand that even if they’re not taking any performance enhancing drugs, they are still working out as a full time job. Do you work out that much? Do you eat 100% healthy 100% of the time? Probably not so all you’ll do by lifting weights is to get a fabulously toned body that will burn fat even while you’re asleep.

To get the most out of your weight training remember, it’s all about the form. I actually just got back from working out right before I wrote this article and no matter how many times I see it, I’m still amazed to watch the poor form people use when lifting weights. Just today there was a young woman at my gym who was basically following me, she did all the machines or free weights I did. All I can say is that she must have been in a hurry because she did her sets so fast she might as well not have done them at all. She was hardly engaging her muscles at all, what she was doing, was letting gravity and momentum help her through her sets. That’s not the right way to do it.

If you want to lose weight and build muscle there are three main steps: cut back on your fat intake, eat more lean protein and start weight training. Just make sure that you take it slowly when lifting weights, you want your muscles to do all the work, not gravity.

If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment and we’ll get back to you. Thanks for reading.

–Nigel

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“If you haven’t joined our community by LIKING ultimate3dayworkout on Facebook, you’re missing out on half the fun! Our Facebook page is the perfect place to ask fitness questions and get answers directly from me.”

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Most people in the world have belly fat, and many try to figure out a way of getting rid of that belly fat. They try fad diets, and some kind of juice that will keep you in the bathroom all day. However, the best natural way to lose belly fat is…. Drum Roll Please……….

Its EXERCISE !! I can hear most people right now either groaning or let out a sigh, the reason is because most people don’t want to put in the work. Hey I’m not throwing off on anybody, because I use to be one of those that would rather sit in front of a T.V. then get up and do some type of exercising.

However, there isn’t but one way of doing it, and that is getting up and doing it. You have to get your mind right people, you need to get in that state of mind that nobody is going to stand in your way, and you welcome all challenges.

Once you have your mind right and you know you are going to be dedicated, then the next thing you need to do is find a team. What I mean by that is find some people that are willing to go that extra mile or give you a kick start when you just don’t feel like going.

No one has ever accomplished their goals by themselves, I don’t care what anyone tells you, somebody helped them along the way in some shape or form. It’s like that in all walks of life and this is no different than any other situation.

OK, now that you have your team in place, it’s time to pick out the type of exercise program that is going to work for you. It’s very important that you pick the right program for you because you want it to keep you going not burn you out.

Now let’s look at a few exercises that could help you lose that belly fat. Swimming, this is often overlooked because most people think of it as just a casual thing to do. You would be surprised at how fast you could get that belly in shape by swimming. You use every muscle in your body which makes you work harder and it burns that fat.

Jogging, start out light, let’s say 10-15 minutes a day then just keep moving your time on up. Here is one that everyone knows, and it is the most used way to get rid of belly fat….. Crunches.

That’s right, get you a mat and get started with those crunches. The good thing about crunches is that there are different techniques one could use to work on every angle of your abdominal area.

If you were to implement just two of those exercises into your daily routine then you will shed that belly fat quicker than you can blink.

If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment and we’ll get back to you. Thanks for reading.

–Nigel

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“If you haven’t joined our community by LIKING ultimate3dayworkout on Facebook, you’re missing out on half the fun! Our Facebook page is the perfect place to ask fitness questions and get answers directly from me.”

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